Name:Beth Walsh

 

When did you join Cornerstone Nutrition? I joined nutrition in August 2022.  

 

What is your occupation?  I am an Intervention Specialist at a local elementary school.  I worked with Jr. High kids for 18 years and this is my first year in elementary.   

 

What is something about yourself that we might not know? I played a lot of sports growing up, but my scholarship money in college was for playing the Bassoon.  

 

What have you learned through nutrition coaching? 

1. I can eat all the foods!!  Everything.  Some foods are better than others, they make me feel better, and help me reach my goals more quickly.  There aren’t any restrictions.  There are choices, and I control my choices.  I have learned that there are foods that keep me full for a longer period of time. 

 

1. Planning is my friend.  Tracking is a MUST!!  I can track food and plan ahead.  Protein is hard to find when I am out so if I know I am eating out, I front load a lot of protein and less fat and carbs, so I can enjoy a meal out and get what my body needs.  

 

1. Batch prepping is great.  I used to be a meal prepper…that is a lot of work!  I have a fabulous supportive husband who is a great cook.  We work in schools, so our days are full and our evenings are full with kids’ schedules.  But we tackle the prepping together.  He grills big batches of chicken and we have it all week in different meal combinations.  Or we brown ground beef to add to things through the week.  I cut a lot of veggies and have fruit ready to go.  My go-to for lunch is the turkey breasts at Costco, they taste great and are way more affordable than weekly deli turkey.  Also love Costco frozen broccoli and frozen stir fry veggies!  

 

1. Movement is my therapy.   Giving myself grace with movement is important.  I don’t need to do a gym workout everyday, some days it doesn’t work with my family’s schedule.  Movement where I can be mindful of what I am doing, focus on my breathing, disconnect from the stress of the day; these are the important goals of my workouts.  Dog walks, bike rides, tossing a baseball or softball, shooting baskets, yoga, lifting in the garage; all of these accomplish my goals.  

 

1. Celebrate the (seemingly) little things.  There were times when I made little changes, because they make me feel better.  It is important to feel proud of those choices. Those little choices may not seem big, but they are intentional and are building bigger habits.  An example of a little win might be, having my favorite beer for dinner, but not having dessert too.  

 

What is the biggest thing you’ve changed that has led most to your success?  

 

Flexibility…I am great at being flexible.  I ate pretty clean Keto for almost 5 years.  I lost a lot of weight doing Keto. My biggest fear has been putting that weight back on.  So I have been very fearful of making a change and tried to continue with my “all or nothing” type of eating.  But my eating and preparing kept me from being available for my family.  My kids are active, and Joe and I prioritize family dinners at night.   We do not eat out very often.  The ability to eat…well to eat carbs, and not be afraid that I will gain 1,000 pounds, is the biggest change I have made in the daily food I eat.  I used to eat about 10% of the carbs I eat now.  Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t start by eating sandwiches and pasta.  I still don’t eat a lot of bread or pasta.  But I love apples and grapes, but I didn’t eat them for a long time.  Now I eat them almost every day.  My treat is yogurt and apples for dessert.  But if my kids want some ice cream, I will have some.  I always try to pair a carb with protein, that helps me get in all the protein I need in a day.  I may have an off day of eating, or have a meal that doesn’t fit my macros…my goal is to shorten the time between when I am not eating in a way that helps me meet my goals, and the time that I am. 

 

What advice do you have for someone considering nutrition coaching? 

DO IT!  It is all about balance.  Nutrition Beth…as she is called in my family (we know a lot of Beths), is so helpful and knowledgeable.  Every time I have a question or a problem she has been an amazing resource. In my brain, I shouldn’t need a person telling me good job for my progress in building healthy habits, but in reality, it is a huge support and having her as that support in my journey has been invaluable.  At first I was focusing on food and calories, and my constant battle in life; my weight, but my focus has shifted and it is so much more about overall health.  

 

What goals do you have for the rest of 2023 (nutrition related or not)?

 

I would like to maintain my weight through the summer, which is hard for me because I’m home and I make food for the children ALL DAY.

I want to do a competition.  At least one more, maybe more if I have time.

I want to make time for my health by doing all the dr. appointments I am supposed to do.  

I want to try new foods and make new recipes…let me know if you have a good one!!

 

Side note to our amazing community: Growing up, people made fun of me for my weight.  I was tall and had bigger legs than most girls I knew.  I never wanted to be stronger, just thinner.  Being at Cornerstone has made that focus change.  I want to be stronger.  I am proud of my strong legs.  I take care of my body and listen to it; it is my partner not my enemy.  I want to thank the coaches and the members who continue to make strength (mental, emotional, physical) and health a priority.  I am proud that my daughter sees strength in her body and grateful to the community for being so supportive in our journey.